Tinae-mailed to report her silver 1991 Subaru Legacy LS Wagon stolen from outside their home on 44th SW near Hinds (map). But there’s more to the story – as her husband writes:

To the person who stole our family’s 1991 Subaru station wagon (license plate # DP 02112), I want you to know something about us. I depend on my wife to drive now because an aggressive brain tumor that was discovered a few months ago left me more than 50% blind. The prognosis for this tumor is a 50% survival rate for six months to one year. We’ve been relying on the Subbie for transportation to my radiation and other medical appointments, and now for transportation for my elderly mother who just had a stroke and needs 24 hour custodial care. We can’t afford to buy a replacement because I’ve been 100% disabled since 1987 and my wife can’t work while providing 24 hour care for my mother. If you truly feel that you deserve and/or need our car more than we do, I’m so very sorry indeed.

The theft has been reported to police. MIDNIGHT UPDATE: KING 5 News picked up this story and talked with Tina, as well as one of the commenters – see their story here.

20 Comments

I’m sorry this has happened to you.

I’m in West Seattle and am between jobs. I have a car and would be more than pleased to help you get thru this until your transportation challenges are solved. If I can help in any way, email me at justgayle@gmail.com

Sorry for your compounded situation. Sounds like your family could use a share care group. Freinds , neighbors and family that could rotate a schedule of driving, chores, errands and just general assistance.

Sign me up behind Gayle. If you need anything, email WSB and they’ll give you my contact info.
.
My dad is currently battling Pancreatic Cancer, so I completely understand how scary and awful it is to go through such a devastating diagnosis. If there is ANYTHING you guys need, please say the word. Dinners, rides, errands, whatever. I’m happy to help in any way I can.
.
Also, I know there’s a program through the American Cancer Society that will get you rides to chemo and radiation. Contact info:
American Cancer Society Seattle Office
2120 1st Ave N
Seattle, WA 98109
Phone: (206)283-1152

Bless all of you for your kindness. I hope they they get their car back. Our 91 Subaru Legacy was stolen near where theirs was stolen a couple of years ago. We got it back, it was abandoned in Issaquah undamaged. I hope they are as lucky. Cars make us feel more independent.

Another possible resource is Senior Services Volunteer Transportation, which is free:
Who is Eligible?
■Persons 60 years or older.
■Residents of King County.
■Persons able to transfer into a private vehicle with minimal assistance.
■Persons who cannot use other transportation options.

How to Schedule a Ride:
■No forms to fill out – sign up over the phone.
■Call (206) 448-5740 or 1-800-282-5815 by Wednesday (or before!) for any rides the following week.
■Have all details of trip ready.
■Caregivers and/or family welcome with prior notice.
■All rides dependent upon driver availability.
■Scheduling hours are 8am to 5pm, Monday through Friday.

Are you interested in becoming a volunteer driver?
Do You…
■Like to drive?
■Own a car?
■Enjoy meeting new people?

Volunteer Drivers:
■Provide rides using their own vehicles.
■Choose the days, times, and areas they wish to drive. (We’re flexible!)
■Receive reimbursement for mileage and parking costs.
■Receive supplemental liability insurance at no cost.
■Do no heavy lifting or bearing of weight.

There’s hope: My car was stolen from my driveway in Bellevue a few years ago. Cops told me they would eventually find it. They were right, it was found in Federal Way three weeks later. I’m still driving it today!

How awful. Please pass on my contact info to Tina. I’m in North Admiral and could also help with rides from time to time until they find a better solution. My dear husband Mike succumbed to brain cancer November 2007. I can’t imagine what I would have done if I had been unable to take him to his medical appointments which were several times/week. There is a city program that transports disabled people; you get the form for eligibility from your doctor’s office:http://metro.kingcounty.gov/tops/accessible/accessvan.html
I hope they find your car.

Not the same thing. What was being referred to, was “People Helper” – the award-winning franchise they had for many years. (I worked there ’91-’99.) You’d send in some sad story of someone in desperate straits, and they’d find a way to get what the person needed. Brook Stanford was “the People Helper” for a long time; John Sharify picked it up for a few years.

I want to thank WSB and blog readers for all the support you’ve shown and let you know that whether or not our Subbie is recovered, we should come out okay. My wife inherited a car several months ago from her mother who died of kidney cancer but it’s been stored since with a mechanical problem in the ignition. We hope to get it back on the road until we find out about our Subbie. I also want to express appreciation to our neighbors and volunteers from the American Cancer Society who provided rides to radiation therapy after my mother’s stroke.
I also want to thank Commitment to Care for providing chemotherapy medication which we could not have never been able to afford without their
help.

Bless you all for helping or offering to help in this family’s time of need. Dale’s mom is my grandma’s best friend. I don’t live close to them and work full time and have two small children, so I’m truly grateful for everyone who has volunteered to help them. Thank you so much WSB, king 5, and my former/still wonderful west Seattle community!

We all work hard, we all try to do what is best with the life we have….This story is so disturbing to me. What did these people do to deserve to have the one thing they have left that is dependable in their life ripped away? My first guess is that they did nothing. I am completely sickened. What a total scum of the earth to take something away from someone who is in need. I believe that we need to NOW and TODAY band together and support each other. People are good and we can support each other. Watch out for one another. Report unusual activities. Keep your lawns up and your eyes open. God bless this family on their journey….that is all I have to offer. I pray for you and your continued strenth.

There actually seems to be very few of us who would steal a car from a fellow traveler and among those who would, very few of them would choose one with disability license plates. What’s more normal is our willingness to help each other when in need and I think that’s worth keeping in perspective.